Improved mode of protecting the surfaces of wooden piles



PATENTED' JAN. 24, 1865.

I. J. HENRY. MODE OP PROTEGTING THB SURFACE-S OP WGGDEN PILES,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEVY J. HENRY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR Tl) JOSEPH BENRIMO, OF SAME PLACE. A

IMPROVED MODE 0F PROTECTING THE SURFACES OF WOODEN PILES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 46,049, dated January 24, 1865.

.To alliwwm it mar/Ay concern.-

Be it knownl that I, LEVY J. HENRL'of the city of San Francisco, in the State ot' California, have invented, made, and applied to use acertain new and useful lmeans for protecting thesurfaces of wooden piles and other articles that are wholly or partially submerged from injury by worms, borers, or other marine insects; and I do .hereby'declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making partei' this specification, in which I have represented part of `a pile with my improved protection applied thereto.

Various paints and sheathing have hereto. fore been applied to wood, when exposed under water, to prevent the adhesion of marine plants and the injury tothe wood by insects. The nature of my said invention consists in coating such surfaces with -asphaltum, upon p which sand, earth, or similar material is spread after the asphaltum has been applied to the surface of such article, but before it has cooled or become hard. Thereby'a hard surface is presented to the marine insects and the asphaltum protected by it, and the Vasphaltum keeps the pile almost dry, which greatly increases its durability. The surface ofthe pile, vessels bottom, or similar articles is generally wet or damp, so much so that asphaltumwill not adhere to the same, particularly when exposed toconcussion of driving, as in the case of piles. I therefore attach upon vsuch surface a ,sheet or sheets of felt, iron, or similar material that can be nailed or otherwise firmly secured in place, and upon which the asphalt will ladhere and not be liable to scale or crack off.

I take the log of wood [o form the pile, and remove, if not already done, the bark, so

= that the surface of the wood is clean, and to this I apply one or more coats'ot asphaltum better than when mixed in with the asphaltum before it islaid upon the surface, because A the asphalt ismore easily applied when free from foreign sustances, and a more perfect and uniform coating. of sand can` be laid upon the asphalt. The pile or other article of wood, when thus protected with alternate layers of asphalt and silicious material, will answer in some localities and under some circumstances for protecting' the Wood; but for piles that have to be driven and are generally damp when ready for use the concussion 'is apt to crack or shake off the coating.

I therefore make use of a sheet or sheets of felt, iron, or other suitable material applied to the surface to be protected, and said sheets may be nailed to the' wood either upon a coating of asphaltum or the felt sheets may be saturated with rsphalt and laid-on the pile While hot. These sheetsare to be stretched or drawn sufticit-mtly4 tight and nailed atthe edges and at suitable places so as to permanently secure them to the pile, after which asphalt is to be applied, asbe--- fore specified, and-sprinkled or rolled in sand or gravel, and any desired number of such layers or coatings may be applied to such surfaces.

It will he evident that asphalt and sand or felty may be applied in this manner to ships, bottoms and other articles exposed to the action of salt-water, and with metal or piles of hard wood the felt may be secured in place by sewing or otherwise. :v

In the drawing, a represents thepile or article to be coated 5 ,b, the asphalt and sand coating; c, the layer of felt, audd the asphalt and sand on the suri'uce of such felt.

I do not claim asphalt applied as a waterprooi` coating to Wood, stones, or other mit- ,of asphalt applied upon sheets of felt or other material attached to said articles, in the inauner and for the purposes specified;

Dated this 12th day of October, A. D. 1 864.

LEVY J. HENRY.

p Witnesses:

Gao. T. Knox, HENRY DRESERFELD, 

